Durkan and NEWH Partner for Carpet Design Contest

MARIETTA, GA – Think you have an eye for carpet design? Durkan, the hospitality brand of The Mohawk Group, is calling on design professionals and students to discover a new way to express their creativity with its first carpet design contest. Supported by NEWH (Network of Executive Women in Hospitality), “D*scover” aims to exhibit the talent of hospitality designers, while contributing toward the education of future designers. Participants will compete for the opportunity to meet top American designer Todd Oldham and showcase their winning carpet designs to an international audience of industry influencers at the HD Expo and Conference (HD Expo), which is being held May 19-21, 2010, in Las Vegas. A student winner will receive a Durkan scholarship from NEWH.

“The possibilities in design are endless, yet too often the greatest ideas go unrealized,” says Barbara Marcy, director of creative design, Durkan. “Whether it’s partnering with designers outside our industry or seeking feedback from customers through our Design Council, at Durkan we place a tremendous focus on pushing the limits of traditional design. This competition celebrates creativity and gives designers an outlet to explore new avenues for their talent through the medium of carpet.”

To complete a submission, participants must design four print carpet patterns characteristic of hospitality spaces: 1) large corridor; 2) large ballroom carpet; 3) large or medium pre-function/ meeting room carpet; 4) and a border or fill design. Entries will be evaluated on concept, presentation and market feasibility by a panel of industry professionals: Todd Oldham of Todd Oldham Studio; textile designer Virginia Langley of Sky Designs Inc.; NEWH president Helen Reed; and Barbara Marcy.

The jury will award a grand prize to one design professional and one student. Along with being featured in NEWH publications and Durkan’s Web site and product catalogues, these winners will travel to HD Expo in Las Vegas, where their designs will be showcased within Durkan’s booth. In addition, the professional winner will win a trip to New York City for lunch and a studio tour with Oldham, while the student winner will receive a $3,000 Durkan scholarship from NEWH. Cash prizes will be awarded to second and third place professionals. All winners will be officially announced on the first day of HD Expo at a special cocktail event hosted by Durkan.

D*scover is open to all NEWH members; submissions are due March 12, 2010. Durkan will notify the grand prize professional winner in advance to allow time for sample production of the designs to be displayed at HD Expo. Visit www.durkan.com/dscover for complete rules and entry forms.

About Durkan

From the hotel lobby and corridors to guest rooms and ballrooms, casinos, and areas of assisted living facilities, Durkan is world-renowned as an industry leader in innovative design solutions and high style, high-performance hospitality carpeting. With state-of-the-art spectronic printing, Computer Yarn Placement (CYP) tufting technology and forward-thinking pattern and texture technologies, Durkan’s comprehensive line of patterned and custom carpet products provides the inspired design, advanced engineering and expressive style needed to set the right tone for every installation. Durkan is the hospitality brand of The Mohawk Group, a leading commercial carpet manufacturer and a pioneer in the design of sustainable carpeting. For additional information, visit www.durkan.com or www.themohawkgroup.com or call (800) 241-4580.

About NEWH

NEWH, the Network of Executive Women in Hospitality, is a premier networking resource for the hospitality industry, providing scholarships, education, leadership development, recognition of excellence, and business development opportunities. Founded in 1984, NEWH is an international nonprofit organization, with 18 chapters and many regional areas. NEWH brings together professionals from all facets of the hospitality industry providing opportunities for education, professional development and networking. The organization offers unique opportunities, including an international membership directory, Career Network, magazine and sponsorship of leading industry expositions and conferences. To date, NEWH has given in excess of $2,050,000 in scholarships to young people wishing to pursue careers in the hospitality industry. For additional information, e-mail info@newh.org.